Too cold?

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mattd017

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I just brewed the Black IPA extract kit from NorthernBrewer, using Wyeast 1272 American Ale II yeast. I used a yeast starter and let the specialty grains sit at 148-155 for 45 minutes. I pitched it in the carboy at 70 degrees on 1/9. OG 1.075.
The problem is we've had about 2 weeks of pretty cold temps here in Texas. It hasn't gotten about 60 (I know, boohoo say the guys from MI and MN), so my beer has been fermenting at around 60 (+/-2 degrees) the past week and a half. It's still bubbling out of the blowoff tube at a rate of about 1 bubble every 9-11 seconds.
My question is other than slowing down the rate of fermentation greatly, will fermenting it at 8-12 degrees below recommended cause anything I need to worry about/prevent for?
I've never brewed a beer higher than 1.057 OG before. Just trying to not screw up a $55 kit.
Thanks for your help!
 
The bad is that yeast does best in the mid-60's so you might have some impact on attenuation and maybe some loss of ester production. The good is that yeast seems to me to be very similar to 1056, so while 60 degrees is not ideal, it has such a veracious appetite it will likely attenuate fully, or close enough. As well, it is a very clean yeast, not quite as clean as 1056; but, clean enough that I don't think any loss of ester production will be an issue for you.

I would try to get the temp up on it to the upper 60's to hedge your bet though and help the yeast finish out. Steal your wife's heating pad or something and keep a close eye on the temp if you don't have a controller to switch it on/off.
 
I agree with bensiff on the heating it up into the mid to high 60's just to finish out fermentation. The cold snap might have actually helped you a little since you said you pitched at 70 and fermenting yeast can easily raise your liquid temp 5 or more degrees, that would have put you a little over 1272's high range of 72*.
 
I agree with bensiff on the heating it up into the mid to high 60's just to finish out fermentation. The cold snap might have actually helped you a little since you said you pitched at 70 and fermenting yeast can easily raise your liquid temp 5 or more degrees, that would have put you a little over 1272's high range of 72*.

On the same note, if the ambient was 60, the fermentation temp was likely mid to upper 60's at peak, and slowly coming down to lower 60's as activity slows. The suggested temp range for this yeast is 60-72....Perfect. When I'm fermenting at 67, the ambient of my chamber is ofter in the upper 50's for the first couple days. In my opinion there should be no problems with OP's temps, and in fact may not have been better if he had full temp control.
 
Since this is such a heavy IPA, I was going to let it sit in the primary for 3 weeks before even looking at gravity readings. Should I intentionally raise the temp to 65 or so for the last week (in about a week), or should I do it now and then see? I'm worried if I raise the temp in a week (at 3 weeks, 2 days) I might wake the little yeasties up and then I'll have another 2+ weeks of fermenting to go before I can even consider racking, if I do, or bottling.
 
I don't have the means now, but I will. I use a cold water bath to keep my fermenter cool in the summer, I'm thinking I'll just toss a couple bottles of hot tap water in there now instead of frozen water bottles to keep it a little warmer. Hopefully it'll only take a couple days to get the right combo.

Thanks again!
 
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